1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle spare tire carrier and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a wire rope spare tire carrier, which is operated by a pivotal lever arm remote from the storage position of the tire.
2. History of the Prior Art
The present method for the attachment of a spare tire beneath the bed of a pickup truck is by way of an elongated bracket plate which is usually pivotal at one end and is connectable at the other end by way of a threaded stud and bolt.
In order to remove the spare tire from the typical vehicle, one must crawl beneath the bed of the pickup truck and unscrew the bracket nut while providing an upward pressure on the tire to hold it in position. One end of the bracket may then be lowered along with the tire. The tire is then slid out from under the truck for change or repair purposes.
The re-mounting of the tire is particularly cumbersome and requires a considerable amount of strength since the tire must be fitted back against the bracket and then the tire and bracket lifted into position so that the bracket can be attached back to the threaded stud. The bolt must then be re-attached to the stud member in order to secure the tire into position.
The disadvantages of the present system are obvious and the entire operation represents a safety hazard to the user.
Several solutions to this problem have been presented in the way of wire rope or cable attachments for the spare tire wherein the spare tire may be winched into position or pulled into position by a series of pulleys and levers as taught in the patent to Searcy et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,864, issued in 1968 for a "Handling And Storage Apparatus For A Spare Tire And Wheel Assembly On A Vehicle".
Of particular interest is the Searcy embodiment wherein an elongated lever arm is pivotally attached to the rear bumper of the pickup truck. A first pulley is located under the bed of the pickup truck adjacent the storage position of the spare tire and a second pulley is mounted to the rear bumper of the truck and spaced from the pivot point of the lever arm.
A wire rope or cable then extends from a bracket for holding the spare tire, around the first and second pulleys and is attached to the lever arm whereby the lever arm may be rotated away from the second pulley in order to lift the spare tire into position under the vehicle bed. When the tire is lifted into position, the lever arm is held adjacent the rear bumper of the truck and is locked into position by an eyelet and padlock provided on the bumper of the truck.
A problem with this invention is that should the lock fail or accidentally come open, the tension in the cable will cause the lever arm to swing free thereby releasing the spare tire onto the ground thereby representing a safety hazard.
Further, the spare tire holding bracket taught in the Searcy patent is a rather complicated device having spring-loaded pivotal arms which fit through the center hole in the spare tire wheel while notches in these brackets grip the wheel member. However, should the tire become loose and able to bounce around while beneath the truck, the lever arms could become dislodged thereby causing loss of the spare tire.